New Democratic National Chairman Howard Dean irritated media outlets when he tried to prohibit coverage of a debate with Pentagon adviser Richard Perle this week. Shortly after informing journalists they couldn't "quote, record, and/or paraphrase his remarks," however, he changed his mind. Dean's agent, Don Walker of the Harry Walker Agency, said it's not unusual for Dean to close his speeches to the media. Dean, it should be remembered, deliberately withheld certain gubernatorial records during the 2004 Democrat primaries to shield himself from press scrutiny.
